Loader for guns



April 5, 1938. v. F. LUCHT ET Al.

LOADER FOR GUNS 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1956 Inventur@ V'rztcw 1""- Lucht AttnrTLEz E11-m21 E Emabrt April 5, 1938. v. F. LUCHT ET AL LOADER FOR GUNS Filed May 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 5, 1938. v. F. LUCHT ET AL 2,112,853

LOADER FOR GUNS Filed May 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Shee/t 3 Invent nr 5 /4 Vcnr F' Lf1 u:ht

4 Elmer E Gneherr Y@www Attmrney April 5, 1938. v. F. LUCHT ET A1. 2,112,853

LOADER FOR GUNS Filed May 4, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ITLVETHEW'I;l V muy R Lucht Elmar DED Ebert @y h/Mfww Patented Apr. 5, 193s UNITED STATES LOADER FOR GUNS vietor F. Lucht, Aberdeen, Ma., and Eimer c.

Goebert, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,766

13 Claims.

(Granted under the act ot March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370,0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government 'for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

'I'his invention relates to a loader for guns.

In medium and large caliber guns the projectile is of considerable weight and it is customary to move the gun into an approximately horlzontal position to facilitate loading of the projectile into the gun. The projectile may rst be placed on an auxiliary loading tray or it may be rammed into the gun directly from a cart or wagon.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a pneumatically operated loader which is capable of loading the gun at an angle of 20 degrees, of reducing the time of loading and of producing a uniform seating of the projectile on the forcing cone in the bore of the barrel.

Further objects are to arrange a loading cylinder which is conveniently movable to and from a position in rear of the gun barrel, which is tiltable to receive a projectile and present it to the bore of the barrel and which is movable into and out of locked engagement with the barrel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1 is a view in rear elevation of the improved loader.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side 40 elevation vshowing the various positions of the loading cylinder during the loading operation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the air connections between the cradle and the cylinders.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the two-way valve of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the loading cylinder showing the relation of the parts before the cylinder is connected to the gun.

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation with parts in section showing the cylinder coupledl to the gun.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through the latch for holding the coupling sleeve.

Fig. 11 is a view in rear elevation, with parts in section of the loading cylinder.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line yI2-I2 of Fig. 1l.

Fig. 13 is 4a, detail View showing the relationship between the lever of the latch rod and the plate of the valve-actuating lever.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view on the line I4-I4 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view on the line I5-I5 of ,Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of 'one of the cylinder and piston units. v

Figs. 17 and 18 are views respectively in rear and side elevation of the carriage forsupporting the arm of the cradle.

Figs. 19 and 20 are longitudinal sectional views showing the relationship of one of the air tubes and cradle respectively in the rearward and forward positions of the loading cylinder.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view on the line 2I2I of Fig. 16.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 6 there is shown a f gun barrel 6 of the recoiling type mounted for movement in elevation on a rotatable top carriage 'I. The bore of the gun barrel is provided with the usual interrupted threads 8 for a screw breech block (not shown).

An' arm 9 (Fig. 1) on the top carriage 1 extends laterally with respect to the gun and carries an arcuate upright support I 0 which includes a rack II. A carriage I2 mounted on the support has a housing I3 on its upper portion which carries a worm I4 (Figs. 14 and 1,5) 'meshing with the rack and actuated by a train of gears I5 including a handwheel I6.

A frame i1 (Figs. 17 and 18) on the lower portion of the carriage I2 has a horizontally disposed passage I8 arranged perpendicularly to the' vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the gun barrel and is provided at its opposite ends with an upper set of rollers I9 and a lower set of rollers 20.

An arm 2| extending through the passage I8 and slidably supported by the sets of rollers I9y and 20 has lugs 22-22 adjacent its outer end for engaging one end of the frame I1 and thereby limiting movement of the arm towards the gun barrel. The other or inner end of the arm fil is provided with a bearing 23 (Figs. 3 and 11) for receiving the trunnion 24 of an annular cradle 25. The trunnion is maintained against axial displacement by means of pins 26 threaded in the arm and bearing and extending into a peripheral groove 21 in the trunnion. The trunnion is formed with an air passage 28 leading to an annular air chamber 29 in the cradle 25. A pipe line 30 in the arm 2| leads from a" source of air supply and is connected to the inner end of the trunnion.

A loading cylinder 3| (Fig. 6) is reciprocally mounted in the cradle 25 and is formed with an annular shoulder 32 at its approximate center for engaging the front face of the cradle and limiting its rearward movement with respect thereto. A ring 33 is mounted in a groove in the outer surface of the loading cylinder 3| and in spaced relation to its front or open end. A coupling ring 34 is rotatably mounted on the loading cylinder 3| in rear of the ring 33 and is threadedly engaged by the rear end of a coupling sleeve 35 which is rotatably mounted on the front end of the loading cylinder 3|. The coupling sleeve 35 is provided with an interrupted thread 36 for engaging the interrupted thread 8 of the gun barrel. A handle 31 on the rear end of the coupling sleeve 35 provides means whereby the coupling sleeve is rotated. One or more rubber blocks 38 on the rear part of the coupling sleeve are adapted to engage the gun barrel to yieldingly limit forward movement of the loading cylinder. 'I'he front end of the coupling sleeve 35 is formed with an inturned ange 39 for limiting forward movement of a piston 15.

A pair of similar cylinders 40-40 (Fig. 7) are arranged in opposite relation (Fig. 11) on the forward side of the cradle 25, and each cylinder has a flange 4| (Figs. 16 and 21) at its rear end whereby it is attached by means of bolts 42 to a ilange 43 (Fig. 7) on the cradle. The flange 4| is formed with an annular air chamber 44 (Fig. 16) and receives air from a line 45. The chamber 44 is in communication with the interior of the cylinder 40 through ports 46. At the front end of each cylinder 40, a flange 41 having an annular chamber 48 receiving air from a line 49, is in communication with the interior of the cylinder through ports 50. The air line 45 connects the rear chambers 44 of both cylinders and the air line 49 connects the front chambers 48 of both cylinders. 'I'he lines 45 and 49 are connected to the chamber 29 of the cradle by a supply line 5| including a two-way valve 52.

A cylindrical piston 53 spaced from the cylinder 40 and having a closed front end slidable in a bushing 54 in the cylinder is formed at its rear end with an external flange 55 engaging the cylinder and an internal ange 56 engageable by a piston head 51 adapted to work in the cylindrical piston. A rod 58 on the head 51 extends rearwardly through the rear cap 59 of the cylinder 40 and is attached by means o1' a nut 60 (Figs. 'l and 11) to an ear 6| on the base 62 oi the loading cylinder 3|.

A pair of tubes 63-63 (Figs. 6, 19 and 20) i'lxed in the base 62 on opposite sides of the loading cylinder 3| each has a front portion slidablvl inserted in a chamber 64 in the cradle 25. Since the chamber 64 and the chamber 29 are in communication, the cradle is provided with packing 65 to prevent leakage. Each tube has a closed iront end 66 and is provided with ports 61 which are so ,positioned that they will have communication with the chamber 29 when the loading cylinder 3| is in forward position as clearly shown in Fig. 20. 'Ihe rear end of each tube is open and in communication with a valve chamber 68 established between the base 62 and a shaped plate 69 (Figs. i1 and 12) secured to the base 4by screw bolts 10.

The base 82 and plate 69 are respectively provided with valve seats 1| and 12 (Figs. 6 and 12) for a two-part wedge type valve 13. The valve seat 1| has a port 14 for admitting air to the interior of the loading cylinder 3| where it acts to drive a piston 15 which is in the form of a short cylinder adapted to receive the rear portion of a projectile 16. 'I'he piston is arrested by the inturned ilange 39 of the coupling sleeve 35, and the projectile, due to inertia is thrown into the gun barrel and seated on the forcing cone.

A shaft 11 journaled in the plate 69 and supported in a socket 18 of the base 62 carries an inner lever arm 19 having a fork 80 for engaging the valve 13 and it also carries an outer lever arm 8| having a handle 82. A locking plate 83 loosely mounted on the shaft on the outer side of the lever arm 8| and retained by a nut 84 is provided with a slot 85 for receiving a pin 88 carried by the outer lever arm 8|. A pair of ears 81-81 are xed on the plate 83 at opposite ends of the slot 85 and each one carries a set screw 88 adapted to engage the pin 86. By virtue of this arrangement the plate is adjustably positioned with respect to the lever arm 8| and is movable therewith.

'Ihe plate 83 is provided with an aperture 83 (Fig. 13) for receiving a pin 90 on the upper end of a lever 9| which is mounted on a fulcrum 92 (Fig. 7) carried by the plate 69. A rod 93 pivotally connected to the lower end of the lever 9| passes through an ear 94 of the cradle and on. its front end it carries a latch 95 (Figs. 7 and 10) slidably mounted in a bracket 96 on the loading cylinder 3|. A spring 99 embracing the latch and conned between the ear and a collar |00 on the latch normally holds the latch against a latch plate |0| on the under side of the coupling sleeve 35. The latch plate is formed with a pair of spaced recesses |02, |03 (Fig. 11) of varying depth.

'Ihe latch ls engaged in the deep recess |02 (Fig. 3) only when the coupling sleeve 35 is threadedly engaged in the gun barrel. In this position the rod 93`is displaced forwardly and the pin (Fig. 13) on the lever 9| is withdrawn from the plate 83 so that the lever 8|, 19, is free to be moved to open the valve 13. When the air valve is open the plate 83 opposes forward movement of the lever 9| and prevents the latch from being moved out of locking engagement with the coupling sleeve 35. Whenever the coupling sleeve 35 is moved out of its coupling position the latch plate |0| because of the shallow depth of recess |03, holds the rod 93 in rearward position so that the pin 90 on the lever 9| will lock the lever arm 8| against movement. This interlocking arrangement therefore makes it impossible to open the air valve unless the sleeve 35 is coupled to the gun barrel and prevents uncoupling of the sleeve until the air valve is closed. 'I'he latch when engaged in the shallow recess |03 holds the coupling sleeve 35 in proper position with respect to the loading cylinder 3| during reciprocationof the latter. A lug |04 on the rod 93 engages `the ear 94 of the cradle when the loading cylinder is in retracted position thereby preventing movement of the rod 93 to unlock the lever 8| or sleeve 38.

The plate 69 (Fig. 8) is formed with a guideway in which y a relief valve |06 is held by a spring |01 to close an outlet |08 in the base 62.

A loading platform |09 in rear of the support l0 is arranged for carrying a projectile in a position that is convenient for insertion into the loading cylinder.

The operation of loading a projectile into the gun barrel consists in rotating the cradle (Fig. 2) to dispose the loading cylinder 3| in an approximately horizontal position with its open end directed rearwardly towards the platform |09. The projectile is then inserted, base foremost, into the loadingvcylinder.

The loading cylinder is next moved horizontally to the center line of the gun, the arm 2| riding between the rollers i 8 and 20. It is then rotated towards a vertical position, the open end moving upwardly, and during this operation the projectile and the piston 15, in which it seats, are lowered due to gravity. 'Ihe carriage I2 is then actuated until the arm 2| is lined up with the bore of the gun barrel. The loading cylinder is now rotated on trunnion 24 until it is coaxial with the gun barrel, its open end being close to the breech block opening of the barrel.

The loading cylinder is now moved forwardly to insert the coupling sleeve 35 on its front end into the breech block opening of the barrel. This movement may be accomplished either manually or pneumatically. The handle 3l is then grasped and the coupling sleeve rotated to engage its thread 36 with the threads 8 of the barrel. The latch plate |0I. on the coupling sleeve 35 is also displaced and its deep recess |02 ismovd into line with and entered by the latch 95 so that the lever 9| may withdraw its pin 90 from the plate 83 of the air valve lever arm 8|.

When the loading cylinder is in forward position (Fig. 7), the tubes 63 which also serve as guides during movement of the cylinder, have their ports 61 in communication with the chamber 29 of the cradle so that air under pressure flows to the valve chamber 68. If the handle 82 is now moved upwardly, the valve 'i3 will be opened and the air will flow through the port 14 into the loading cylinder and drive the piston 'l5 forwardly.

When the piston is arrested by the flange 39 of the coupling sleeve 35, the projectile carried by the piston is thrown into the chamber of the gun barrel and seated on the forcing cone. Since the thread 36 is loosely fitted between the threads 8 of the barrel the coupling sleeve 35 is capable of a slight forward displacement which is cushioned by the rubber block 38.

The air valve 13 is now closed, the coupling sleeve 35 counterrotatedto disconnect it from the threads 8 of the gun barrel, and the loading cylinder Withdrawn. Withdrawal may be accomplished manually or pneumatically through the compound piston.

The loading cylinder when Withdrawn is moved laterally so that it will be clear of the path .of the gun barrel as it moves in recoil.

We claim:

1. In a loader for guns, a movably mounted cradle having an annular air chamber, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, said cylinder having an open front end and a base closing its rear end, a sleeve rotatable on the open 'end' of the cylinder and adapted to be coupled to a gun barrel, a plate secured to the basev of the cylinder and spaced therefrom to chamber of the cradle when the cylinder is in forward position, a ported valve seat in the base, a valve seat on the plate, a valve between the seats, a lever for actuating the valve, and means for interlocking the lever and coupling sleeve.

2. In a loader for guns, a movably mounted cradle having an annular air chamber, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, said cylinder having an open front end and a. base closing its rear end, a plate secured to the base of the cylinder and spaced therefrom to provide a valve chamber, tubes xed to the base exteriorly of the cylinder and passing through the air chamber of the cradle, said tubes having communication with'the valve chamber and having ports in communicationwith thc air chamber of the cradle when the, cylinde; is in forward position, a ported valve seat in the base, a valve seat on the plate, a valve between the seats, and a lever for actuating the valve.

3. In a loader for guns, a movably mounted cradle having a central opening and having an air chamber with openings parallel to the central opening, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the central opening of the cradle, said cylinder having an open front end and a base closing its rear end, a plate secured to the base of the cylinder and spaced therefrom to provide a valve chamber, tubes carried by the base of the cylinder and passing through the openings in the air chamber of the cradle for establishing communication between the valve chamber and the air chamber of the cradle when the cylinder is in forward position, a ported valve seat in the base, a Valve seat on the plate, a valve between the seats, and a-lever for actuating the valve.

4. In a loader for guns, a movably mounted cradle having an air chamber, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle and having a port in its rear end, a valve for the port, guide tubes carried by the rear end of the cylinder and passing through the air chamber of the cradle parallel to the cylinder for establishing communication between the port and the air chamber in the cradle when the cylinder is in forward position, a projectile engaging piston in the cylinder, and means on the cylinder for limiting forward vmovement of the piston.

5. In a loader for guns, a movably mounted cradle having an air chamber, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle and having a port in its rear end, a valve for the port, guide tubes carried by the rear end of the cylinder and passing through the air chamber of the cradle parallel to the cylinder for establishing communication between the port and the air chamber in thecradle when the cylinder is in forward position.

6. In a loader for guns, a cradle, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a sleeve rotatable cn the front end of the cylinder and adapted' to be coupled to a gun barrel, a valve in the rear end of the cylinder for controlling an air supply to the cylinder, a lever for actuating the valve, a plate movable with the lever and adjustably positioned with respect thereto, said plate having a recess, a locking lever mounted on the cylinder, and having a pin on one end engageable in the recess of the plate, a rod connected .to the other end of the locking lever and slidably mounted in the cradle, a latch plate on the rotatable sleeve and having a recess for receiving the rod and a spring normally holding the rod against the latchl plate and moving it into the recess thereof when the sleeve is in coupling position.

7. In a loader for guns, a cradle, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a sleeve rotatable on the front end of the cylinder and adapted to be coupled to a gun barrel, a valve in the rear end of the cylinder for controlling an air supply to the cylinder, a lever for actuating the valve, a locking lever mounted on the cylinder, said locking lever engageable with the valve lever to hold it in closed position and engageable by the valve lever when open, a rod connected to the lever and slidably mounted in the cradle, a latch plate on the rotatable sleeve acting on the rod when the sleeve is in uncoupled position to hold the locking lever in locking engagement with the valve lever, a spring for moving the rod into locking engagement with the latch plate and removing the locking lever from locking engagement With the valve lever.

8. In a loader for guns, a cradle, a cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a sleeve rotatable on the front end of the cylinder and adapted to be coupled to a gun barrel by being rotated on its axis, a valve for controlling an air supply to the cylinder and means for interlocking the sleeve and valve.

9. In a loader for guns, a platform, an upright support on the platform and including a rack, a carriage on the support and including gearing meshing with the rack, a frame on the carriage and having a horizontal passage, rollers on the frame. an arm extending through the passage of the frame and supported on the rollers, a cradle trunnioned in one end of the arm and having an annular air chamber, an air line in the arm and leading to the air chamber of the cradle, a loading cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, means carried by the cradle and connected to the cylinder for reciprocating the same, means on one end of the cylinder for coupling it to a gun barrel, and means whereby air communication is established between the chamber of the cradle and the inaliases terior of the cylinder when the cylinder is coupled to a gun barrel.

10. In a loader for guns, a platform, an upright support on the platform and including a rack, a carriage on the support and including gearing meshing with the rack, a frame on the carriage and having a horizontal passage, rollers on the frame, an arm extending through the passage of the frame and supported on the rollers, a cradle trunnion in one end of the arm and having an annular air chamber, an air line in the arm. and leading to the air chamber of the cradle; a loading cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle, means on one end -of the cylinder for coupling it to a gun barrel,

and means whereby air communication is eS- tablished between the chamber of the cradle and the interior of the cylinder when the cylinder is coupled to a gun barrel.

11. In a loader for guns, a substantially vertically movable carriage, a horizontally movable arm mounted in the carriage, a cradle trunnioned in the arm for tilting movement in a vertical plane, a loading cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle and arranged to carry an article to be loaded in a gun, and a means on the loading cylinder for coupling it to a gun barrel and a rammer carried by the cylinder.

12. In a loader for guns, a substantially vertically movable carriage, a horizontally movable arm mounted in the carriage, a cradle trunnioned in the arm for tilting movement in a vertical plane, and a loading cylinder reciprocally mounted in the cradle and movable with the cradle through approximately degrees in a vertical plane from load-receiving to load-delivering position.

13. In combination with a gun barrel having threads for a breech block which is to close the barrel for ring, a projectile containing loading cylinder mounted for movement towards and away from the gun barrel, a sleeve rotatable on one end of the loading cylinder, and a thread on said sleeve engageable with the threads of the gun barrel to connect said sleeve during loading.

VICTOR F. LUCHT. ELMER C. GOEBERT. 

